Casement window construction



c. w. HURD 2 288,113 CASEMENT WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Filed June 4, 1941" 2 Sh' eets-Sheet 1: v

c. w. HURD GASEMENT wmnow co'nsmucnon July], 1942.

Filed J1me 4, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 7, 1942 I CASEMENT WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Clifiord W. Hurd, Dubuque, Iowa, assignorof onehalf to Farley.;& Loetscher Manufacturing Compan Dubuque, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application June 4, 1941, SerialNo. 396,597

3 Claims. (01. 20-42) This invention relates to improvements in window constructions and more particularly to a window of the casement type wherein the sash slide horizontally in the frame instead of swinging on hinges as in the typical casement window.

Theobject of the improved window construction is to combine the more advantageous features of both the vertically sliding sash window and the hinged casement window, first, in simplicity and ease of operation and second, in the low cost of manufacture and installation by the elimination of all provision for sash weights required in vertically sliding windows and the costly crank-operated opening and closing mechanism required for casement windows. apart from a single locking fixture, the sliding casement window arrangement requires no hardware whatever;

A preferred embodiment of the improved window construction is disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of a sliding case ment window construction showing the general arrangement;

Figure 2 is a view in horizontal section through.

showing In' fact,-

Figure 5 is a detail 1 view in section taken through the top jamb or head of the frame, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentaryview in vertical section through the window frame showing the manner in which the sash may be removed from the frame.

The frame of the window is not essentially different from any standard frame construction, and consists of a sill I, side jambs 2, 2, a top or head jamb 3, with blind stops 4, 4 nailed crosswise along the front edge faces of the jambs 2 and 3 and-casing strips 51 extending vertically over the blind stops and across the head. ,Suitable departures from the standard practice may be introduced to meet special requirementsbut inone or both of two parallel tracks, depending on whether they are open or closed.

Thus to accommodate the sliding type of casement sash, the sill I and the jambs 2, 2 and 3 are somewhat wider than in a standard frame in order to provide space for two tracks or channels, namely, an outside track A and an inside track B in which the sash slide. These tracks occupy a combined transverse space defined by the inner edge faces of the blind stops 4, 4 at the front of the frame and at the back by stops 5, 5 nailed to the side jambs 2, 2 and across the head jamb 3, and a fiat sill piece-6 extending across the inner edge of the main or sub-sill.

Now, as clearly shown in Figure 4, the sub-sill I slopes downwardly from the inside toward the outside of the frame and fixed to the top surface of the sill is a wedge-shaped strip 1 forming a fiat bottom surface for the inside and outside tracks A and B. Extending across the frame justin front of thetriangular piece 1 is an upstanding rail 8 forming an extension of the blind stops 4 and extending across the sill I with its upper edge projecting slightly above the top face of the piece I to form a stop.

Now, supported in the frame are the sliding sash 9 and II] of the same size, each extending the full height of the window opening and onehalf the width thereof, Thesesash may be of any standard construction consisting of frames for a single pane of glass or divided in several openings into which smaller panes of glass are fitted.

In closed position (Figure 2 the two sash fit snugly edge-to- -edge in the front or outside tract A, which is separated from the inside track only by stops I I, II in the form of strips nailed to the bottom piece I and to the top or head jamb 3 midway between the outermost stops 4 and 5, but extending only one-half the length of the tracks, that is, from the right-hand side jamb to a point midway the width of 'the frame opening. The two sash members 9 and I0 have no connection with the frame orwithe'ach other except when locked in closed position, This means that they stand upright in theframe at alltimes and yet are free to slide-,although in well defined paths and in a certain order.

Thus, in closed position the right-hand sash I0 is firmly held in the outside track A between the blind stops 4 and rail 8 at the front and the half-length stops II at the rear, with its outer vertical edge fiush againstthe right-hand jamb 2. Similarly, the left-hand sash 9 fits within the other half of the outside track A with its far edge fiush against the left-hand jamb 2 and its inner edge tight against the corresponding edge of the right-hand sash I and, as is customary in casement windows, the meeting edges of the two sash members are mortised to form a weather-tight joint. And finally, a suitable lock I2 is mounted on the inside of the window and consists of two parts,the handle-operated part W being preferably mounted on the edge of the left-hand sash 9, and the other part or keeper [2 is mounted on the right-hand sash ID. The lock I2 is of standard design operating to draw the sash tightly together as well as securing them against opening from the outside.

Now, to open the window, the left-hand sash 9 is the first to be shifted after unlatching the lock [2. This is accomplished by grasping the lock handle l2 and pulling inwardly, thus swinging the inner edge of the sash clear of the ends of the half-length stops H, H and into the inside track B (as shown in dotted lines, Figure 3), whereupon a pull laterally and to the right slides the sash bodily into open position in front of the still stationary right-hand sash II]. It will be understood that the sash are mounted in the frame so as to slide freely and with a minimum of physical effort, this being accomplished largely by the use of metal weather-stripping whereby metal-to-metal or metal-to-wood contact is provided between all contacting surfaces, both to afford freedom of movement and to seal against rain and wind.

It will be noted that the length of the inside track B is shortened slightly by the thickness of two narrow strips l3, l3 nailed to inner faces of the upright jambs 2, 2. These strips l3, [3 have the same width as the inside track and form the shallow vertical channels l4, M at the sides of the outside track A to receive the outer edges of the sash members when shifted into closed position.

Moreover, once the left-hand sash 9 has been shifted into open position into the inside track it must be capable of sliding back into closed position with equal ease, and for this reason a suitable guide is provided to shift the leading edge of the sash 9 outwardly as it moves laterally toward its closed position. This guiding member has the form of a triangularly shaped cleat or block l5 nailed to the head jamb 3 at the far (or left) end of the inside track from the portion defined by the half-length stops II, II. As clearly shown in Figure 1 this cleat is arranged with its sloping or inclined edge facing outwardly of the frame, so that as the leading edge of the sash 9 strikes it, the sash is shifted forwardly and guided into the channel I4 along the side of the outside track.

With this arrangement it follows that to open the window it is only necessary to slide the lefthand sash onto the inside track B, whereupon it is then possible to slide the right-hand sash H1 'if desired, although ordinarily the latter would not be shifted except to vary the size of the window opening or to provide openings at both sides of the Window by sliding both sash to the center of the frame.

But manifestly at no time can the full opening of the window be greaterthan one-half the width of the frame opening, although in this respect it is no different from the vertically sliding type of window, except that the opening is formed along one or both sides of the window instead of at the bottom or top. Not withstanding, the horizontally sliding sash can be moved with little effort and has the advantage of not being, dependent on counter-weights for easy operation.

It should be added that a metallic or other suitable type of weather-stripping would be applied along the edges of the sliding sash or to the frame, wherever sealing against water or air leakage is needed. This, however, is a matter of following an already established practice and therefore, while metal weather-stripping is shown, it is not thought necessary to describe it in detail. It may be noted also that the rail 8 extending across the sill I just in front of the sash outside track is preferably rabbetted along its inner vertical and bottom surfaces at one or more points throughout its length as at 8 thus forming channels for the disposal of the water that runs down the sash and which otherwise might find its way beneath the bottom edges of the sash.

One important feature of the sash arrangement, and one that has particular merit from the standpoint of installation and repair, is the fact that it permits of ready removal of the one or both sash without tools or the mutilation of the frame in any respect. This removal feature is bright about by providing a fairly deep channel 16 in the head jamb 3 along the top of the inner track B, as shown in Figure 6.

v Now, fastened in this channel is a relatively heavy length of metallic weather-stripping ll of the so-called compression type and which, under normal conditions, forms a resilient ceiling for the channel. Thus, if it is desired or necessary to remove one or both sash, it is a simple matter to slide one (or both successively) into the inside track B and then by lifting it up bodily the weather-strip I1 is compressed enough to allow the bottom of the sash to swing clear of the sill piece 6 and out of the frame. And in reverse manner, the sash can be inserted with the advantage that the frames can be set into the wall of a building minus the sash, and the latter subsequently installed even after the building has been completely finished otherwise.

And finally, from an operating standpoint the sliding casement type window affords all the architectural accompaniments of the ordinary hinged sash type of casement window, but without the recognized disadvantages such as the need for expensive operating hardware and the difficulty of sealing them against air-leakage.

Having set forth a preferred embodiment of the improved window construction and the advantages thereof, I claim as'myinvention:

1. A window construction comprising a frame providing vertical spaced apart parallel side jambs, a horizontal head jamb and a bottom sill, the head jamb and bottom sill each being provided with spaced apart front and rear horizontal stops providing therebetween upper and lower recessed or countersunk ways extending the width between the two vertical side jambs, relatively long and narrow guide strips extending from one of said jambs at the side inwardly to substantially the center of said recessed ways, said guide strips being attached to both the head jamb and bottom sill whereby to subdivide said upper and lower recessed ways into and provide upper and lower front and rear tracks between said front and rear upper and lower horizontal stops for a distance of substantially one-half only of the width of the windowframe, thereby leaving the other half of theupper and lower recessed way between the inner terminal end of said strip and the opposite vertical side jamb free of longitudinally extending tracks or guide means, the vertical, side jambat said trackless portion of the recessed way being formed with a countersunk, vertical way between the front end of the adjacent narrow strip and the inner rear vertical face of a portion of the adjacent side jamb, a first sash normally disposed in the front track between said relatively long and narrow strips and the bottom and top front rails, said sash occupying in width substantially one-half the width of said window frame and a second substantially identical sash lying parallel thereto and having its inner vertical end juxtaposed to and confrontingly contacting and closing upon the inner vertical end of said first mentioned sash, the opposite end of said second mentioned sash lying in said vertical countersunk way formed in said adjacent vertical side jamb, there being means to lock together the inner, vertical confronting edges of said two sashes whereby to prevent an outward swinging movement of the second sash with respect to the first, said relatively long and narrow strips maintaining said first sash from rearwardly swinging movement and said front top and bottom rails maintaining said sashes from forwardly swinging movement and said relatively long and narrow strips maintaining the outside free edges of said sashes from rearwardly swinging movement, the width of said track between the rear wall of said relatively long and narrow strips and the adjacent opposed face of said top and bottom rear sills being sufiicient to receive therebetween the second mentioned sash when the inner end of said sash is unlocked and swung rearwardly away from the adjacent end of said first mentioned sash and said second mentioned sash then shifted longitudinally somewhat diagonally into the second mentioned track whereby to dispose; said second mentioned sash in parallel relation to and behind the first mentioned sash.

2. A window construction comprising a frame providing vertical spaced apart parallel side jambs, a horizontal head jamb and a bottom sill, the head jamb and bottom sill each being provided with spaced apart front and rear horizontal stops providing therebetween upper and lower recessed or countersunk ways extending the width between the two vertical side jambs, relatively long and narrow guide strips extending from one of said jambs at the side inwardly to substantially the center of said recessed ways, said guide strips being attached to both the head jamb and bottom sill whereby to subdivide said upper and lower recessed ways into and provide upper and lower front and rear tracks between said front and rear upper and lower horizontal stops for a distance of substantially one-half only of the width of the window frame, thereby leaving the other half of the upper and lower recessed way between the inner terminal end of said strip and the opposite vertical side jamb free of longitudinally extending tracks or guide means, the vertical, side jamb at said trackless portion of the recessed way being formed with a countersunk vertical way between the front end of the adjacent narrow strip and the inner rear vertical face of a portion of the adjacent side jamb,

a first sash normally disposed in the front track between said relatively long and narrow strips and the bottom and top front rails, said sash occupying in width substantially one-half the Width of said window frame and a second substantially identical sash lying parallel thereto and having its inner vertical end juxtaposed to and confrontingly contacting and closing upon the inner vertical end of said first mentioned sash, the opposite end of said second mentioned sash lying in said vertical countersunk way formed in said adjacent vertical side jamb, there being means to lock together the inner, vertical confronting edges of said two sashes, whereby to prevent an outward swinging movement of the second sash with respect to the first, said relatively long and narrow strips maintaining said first sash from rearwardly swinging movement and said front top and bottom rails maintaining said sashes from forwardly swinging movement and said relatively long and narrow strips maintaining the outside free edges of said sashes from rearwardly swinging movement, the width of said track between the rear wall of said relatively long and narrow strips and the adjacent opposed face of said top and bottom rear sills being sufficient to receive therebetween the second mentioned sash when the inner end of said sash is unlocked. and swung rearwardly away from the adjacent end of said first mentioned sash and said second mentioned sash then shifted longitudinally somewhat diagonally into the second mentioned track whereby to dispose said second mentioned sash in parallel relation to and behind the first mentioned sash, and a relatively short diagonally disposed guide wall located in a rear corner and connecting with the end portion of the front wall of a rear sill whereby when said second mentioned sash is slid in parallel relation to and away from the first mentioned sash the outer edge of said second mentioned sash will contact said diagonally disposed wall and shift the end of the sash forwardly to guide it into said vertical countersunk way formed vertically in said side jamb.

3. A window construction comprising a frame providing vertical spaced apart parallel side jambs, a horizontal head jamb and a bottom sill, the head jamb and bottom sill each being provided with spaced apart front and rear horizontal stops providing therebetween upper and lower recessed or countersunk ways extending the width between the two vertical side jambs, relatively long and narrow guide strips extending from one of said jambs at the side inwardly to substantially the center of said recessed ways, said guide strips being attached to both the head jamb and bottom sill whereby to subdivide said upper and lower recessed ways into and provide upper and lower front and rear tracks between said front and rear upper and lower horizontal stops for a distance of substantially one-half only of the width of the window frame, thereby leaving the other half of the upper and. lower recessed way between the inner terminal end of said strip and the opposite vertical side jamb free of longitudinally extending tracks or guide means, the vertical, side jamb at said trackless portion of the recessed way being formed with a countersunk, vertical way between the front end of the adjacent narrow strip and the inner rear vertical face of a portion of the adjacent side jamb, a first sash normally disposed in the front track between said relatively long and narrow strips and the bottom and top front rails, said sash occupying in width substantially onehalf the width of said window frame and a second substantially identical sash lying parallel thereto and having its inner vertical end juxtaposed to and confrontingly contacting and closing upon the inner vertical end of said first mentioned sash, the opposite end of said second mentioned sash lying in said vertical countersunk way formed in said adjacent vertical side jamb, there being means to lock together the inner, vertical confronting edges of said two sashes, whereby to prevent an outward swinging movement of the second sash with respect to the first, said relatively long and narrow strips maintaining said first sash from rearwardly swinging movement and said front top and bottom rails maintaining said sashes from forwardly swinging movement and said relatively long and narrow strips maintaining the outside free edges of said sashes from rearwardly swinging movement, the width of said track between the rear wall of said relatively long and narrow strips and the adjacent opposed face of said top and bottom rear sills being sufiicient to receive therebetween the second mentioned sash when the inner end of said sash is unlocked and swung rearwar-dly away from the adjacent end of said first mentioned sash and said second mentioned sash then shifted longitudinally somewhat diagonally into the second mentioned track whereby to dispose said second mentioned sash in parallel relation to and behind the first mentioned sash, the space between the upper front sill and the upper rear sill at that end of the window frame opposite to and spaced from the free ends of the relatively long and narrow guide strips being extended upwardly to provide a top sash receiving recess and a compressible weather strip in said last mentioned recess whereby when the sash is positioned in said recess and pushed upwardly against said compressible weather strip therein, said strip will yield to permit said sash to be further shifted upwardly and thence swung outwardly and forwardly, the lower end of said sash clearing the front bottom sill whereby to permit 20 removal of said sash from said window frame.

CLIFFORD W. HURD. 

